Can a Date Be Considered Prostitution Under a Full Scope Poly?

There are no specific inquiries on the SF-86 form regarding sexual conduct, but these actions may be addressed in certain sections of your SF-86 if you have: Been charged or convicted of felonies such as sexual assault, possession of child pornography, engaging in sexual acts in public places, or indecent exposure.

A full scope poly applicant was concerned about his run-ins with prostitution, both of the ‘accidental’ and intentional sorts after he underwent the lie detector exam:

I am looking for some information regarding my security clearance. Here is my history:

I’ve obtained my TS/SCI with FSP back in 2012 at a 3-letter agency. I left the IC community briefly in 2015 to go work for DoD and my clearance was transferred over. In 2018, I was put on an IC project where they re-investigated me  and passed. Later in 2018, I went back to working strictly DoD (TS/SCI) and not IC.

Between 2022 and 2023 I was involved with 1-2 prostitutes out of country. Both were mid to late 20s. I am single and never have been married.

The first prostitute I will admit it was my fault, and I should have known better in December 2023. Only once sexual activity was conducted and never saw her again and communication was cut off. It was consensual and private.

The second person in 2022 is questionable. There was never an agreement to exchange money before the sexual activity happened and I have the text messages to prove it. I met her and I took her out on a date. After the date we went up to my hotel and sexual activity was conducted (Again, consensual and private). Now, here is where it gets tricky. I was walking her to her job, and she then asks me if I wouldn’t mind providing some money since she missed some of her shift and I did. Again, none of this was discussed before or during the period when we were hanging out.

I’ve accepted a contractor position with a 3-letter agency which they need to do a FSP. Completed the SF-86 in March 2024 and they was nowhere on the form to list prostitution since I wasn’t arrested or charged so I did not include it. Fast forward to last week (April 2025) when a had my FSP. During the Pre-test interview, I came clean since the examiner asked about prostitution. I told him that there is no federal law around prostitution, but the examiner said it is a blackmail thing, and he thinks that the second person situation falls into prostitution as well. I said fine and the examiner proceeded to ask me if I will ever do it again and I said def. not!! Examiner then said that at least I was upfront with it and it limits the risk of coercion and blackmail. Before we started the actual poly test, I found it odd that the examiner left the room because he had to check if there was still time to have the poly test. Examiner came back and said we will proceed with the test. I am guessing that is a good sign right because they could have ended the test if the information I admitted was disqualifying?

Anyway, the test started, and I pass all questions but apparently the examiner was having issues with the question around “Hiding a serious crime”. I was furious and frustrated, and I don’t know why I was having trouble with that question. Examiner started to probe me, and I said I am not hiding anything and said that I have to give up something before I take the results up. Told him I was not hiding anything and if you thought I was hiding something involving a crime then call the cops. Examiner said if there was anything a cop would stop me for and hand out a ticket/citation. In the back of my mind, I was thinking “sure a lot of things that are not considered serious crimes”. I told the examiner that between 2015-2018 I was driving “drunk” but was never arrested or charged. Proceeded to ask me how much to drink I had and how I was feeling after each time. I said light-headed but I don’t nothing to impair my driving.

Anyway, the examiner never said I failed. Examiner did make reference about next time maybe adjusting the question, but I still don’t know if I failed. I will also say there were two questions that during the poly were asked that makes me question did I “fail” the test because there were no issues with those questions. The last thing the examiner did was read to me some policies regarding the 3-letter which I thought was weird if I truly had trouble on one of the questions.

What are everyone’s thoughts on this? Sorry for the long explanation but I am truly worried.

Prostitution is considered a security clearance concern primarily due to the risks it poses in terms of blackmail, judgment, and potential for coercion. Engaging in prostitution, even if considered “accidental,” can pose significant risks to obtaining or maintaining a security clearance, as it raises concerns about judgment, reliability, and trustworthiness, potentially leading to denial or revocation.

Here’s how it ties into the broader national security framework:

1. Blackmail Risk

Engaging in prostitution—especially if it’s illegal or hidden from a spouse, employer, or public record—can create a vulnerability. Foreign intelligence services or malicious actors might exploit this secret to blackmail or manipulate someone with access to sensitive information.

2. Personal Conduct

The U.S. government evaluates an individual’s behavior, judgment, and integrity when determining clearance eligibility. Prostitution may be seen as evidence of poor judgment or disregard for the law, depending on the jurisdiction and circumstances.

3. Criminal Conduct

Even if consensual, prostitution is illegal in most parts of the United States. Repeated or recent engagement could trigger concerns under the criminal conduct guidelines (Guideline J) of the adjudicative criteria used to evaluate clearance holders.

4. Pattern of Risky Behavior

When part of a pattern—especially alongside other risky behaviors like drug use or excessive alcohol—it can raise red flags about an individual’s reliability and trustworthiness.

The Whole Person + Context Matters

The government evaluates each case individually, considering:

• Whether the activity is ongoing or in the past.
• If the individual self-reported it.
• Evidence of rehabilitation or changed behavior.
• Whether the activity was legal in the place it occurred.

Bottom line: It’s not an automatic disqualifier, but prostitution raises multiple security concerns that can impact clearance eligibility if not properly addressed. The good news as it relates to the polygraph is an inconclusive result alone is not grounds for a clearance denial or revocation.